LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — The public is invited to Morgan Outdoors, 46 Main St., for “Birds of the Bashakill,” a presentation by Sullivan County Audubon member Lance Verderame, on Saturday, March 7 at 4 p.m. The program offers a season-by-season account of the incredible bird life of the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, located near Wurtsboro, the largest freshwater marsh in southern New York State. Lance will explore why this is one of the premier birding locations in the state and the best in Sullivan County.

WURTSBORO, NY — Join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy for a snowshoe hike at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area on Saturday, February 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., with a wine tasting following the hike.
Learn about the ecology, culture and history of the area with Melinda Meddaugh, land protection coordinator for the conservancy, and Mike Medley, president of the Bashakill Area Association. The lands and waters of the Bashakill are home to a great variety of plants and wildlife, including eagles. Read more

HONESDALE, PA — Penn State Master Gardeners in Wayne County will host a four-week series on vegetable gardening presented by Judy Trudgen, Master Gardener, at the Penn State Extension Office, 684 Park St. The dates of the course are February 5, 12, 19 and 26 all from 6 to 8 p.m. Read more

REGION — With a white winter upon us, the season is affording cross-country skiers ample time out on the snow. For beginners and advanced skiers alike, there are many guided cross-country skiing excursions that are offered in our area. Read more

CANNONSVILLE RESERVOIR, NY — The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced a new, one-year pilot program, beginning in April, that will allow electric trolling motors for permitted boats fishing at Cannonsville Reservoir. This move follows last year’s expansion of recreational boating, and it marks the first time motorized boats for fishing will be allowed on any of DEP’s upstate reservoirs. Read more

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — December 22 marks the first event of the winter season for the Catskill Nordic Ski Club. Members will gather at the Haven Road trail for a tow path hike and trail clearing. Pat and Dan Gersten will coordinate the day’s activities. Call 845/798-6618. Read more

LACKAWAXEN, PA and BETHEL, NY — On Saturday, December 1, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy (Conservancy) hosted a successful Volunteer Training Day to launch the first winter eagle monitoring season with the Eagle Institute as part of the Conservancy. The Conservancy also officially opened the Delaware Highlands Conservancy/Eagle Institute winter field office in Lackawaxen. Read more

WALTON, NY — Private landowners with forest that was damaged by Hurricane Sandy are urged to contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for information on the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP). EFRP provides assistance to landowners of private forest land to help carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster. The FSA office’s phone number is 607/865-4005 or email barbara.davidowsky@ny.usda.gov. Read more

NEW YORK STATE — Gordon Batcheller, New York State’s chief wildlife biologist, is an avid deer hunter who decided he wanted to test for himself the effectiveness of the new copper ammunition now available to hunters. Writing in the current issue of “The Conservationist,” the online publication of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Batcheller concluded, based on his own field tests during last year’s hunting season, that the advanced copper bullets and shotgun slugs worked very effectively. Read more

HAWLEY, PA and BETEL, NY — Delaware Highlands Conservancy and the Eagle Institute will conduct a training day for volunteers who want to help to monitor eagles this winter in the Upper Delaware region. The session will be held on December 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Lackawaxen Inn in Lackawaxen, PA.

Volunteers will learn how to safely and unobtrusively monitor eagles in the field as well as how to collect data about the large population of eagles that migrate here every winter. Volunteers should be able to withstand cold temperatures and enjoy interacting with the public. Read more

If you’re thinking about taking a hike in a park or wooded area after Hurricane Sandy, your favorite hiking trail is going to look totally different today than it did a week ago. Trees and branches are likely to be down and trees will have lost most if not all of their leaves. Read more

SHOHOLA, PA — Almost 100 runners and walkers participated in the inaugural Chuck Melloh Memorial 5K Bridge Run/Walk held on Saturday, October 13 beginning at Rohman Park in Shohola, proceeding across the Delaware River Bridge to Barryville, NY and then back again.

A portion of the proceeds were given to support the Ecumenical Food Pantry of Pike County, while the remainder of the funds will go to fund the troop’s program activities. Read more

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Corbett has signed into law tougher anti-poaching legislation that increases the maximum fine for illegally harvesting fish from $200 to $5,000 and extends the period the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) can revoke fishing and boating privileges from two to five years. Read more

NEW YORK STATE — New York state’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program will celebrate 20 years in 2013 and will mark the anniversary by publishing a cookbook. BOW is seeking recipes for this project and welcomes submissions.

Because BOW teaches women outdoor skills, the focus of the cookbook is on recipes or techniques for cooking over a campfire, on a camp stove, using a camp Dutch oven, or while backpacking, as well as ones that use edible wild plants, fish and game as well as regular recipes, vegetarian recipes and dessert recipes. Read more

DELAWARE WATER GAP, PA — The Delaware Valley Orienteering Association (DVOA) will host the North American Orienteering Championships on Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21 at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC). Orienteers from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Europe will compete in three world ranking events.

Orienteering competitors are issued a detailed map and use only their map, compass skills and speed to find control points in the forest. It’s a timed race and all ages and fitness levels can participate. Read more

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — On Saturday, October 6 with approximately 90 guests attending, the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum inducted eight honorees into its Fly Fishing Hall of Fame. Those named included both living and deceased fly fishermen and women. Living members Stu Apte, Tom McGuane, Ed Shenk and Larry Solomon were on hand to receive their awards personally. Posthumous awards were accepted by Betty Frost Jenkins on behalf of her grandaunt Carrie Frost, Mrs. Thomas Cooney accepted for Joe Brooks, and Bob Summers accepted for George Parker Holden and Paul Young.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about one million deer-car accidents occur on American roads each year, killing 200 people, injuring almost 10,000 more and causing about $1 billion in vehicle damage. The peak time for these collisions comes each fall. Read more

MILFORD, PA — Brilliant red, yellow and orange leaves will be ablaze for the annual autumn landscape tour of Grey Towers National Historic Site, 122 Old Owego Turnpike, on Saturday, October 13 at 1:30 p.m. Participants should meet in the Visitor Pavilion in the Grey Towers parking lot. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

“Evolution of the Grey Towers Landscape: Autumn in Cornelia’s Gardens,” will feature the foliage displays of the native shrubs, the Japanese maple and the European copper beeches planted by Gov. Gifford Pinchot, among other favorites. Read more

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about one million deer-car accidents occur on American roads each year, killing 200 people, injuring almost 10,000 more and causing about $1 billion in vehicle damage. The peak time for these collisions comes each fall. Read more